Lid hinge and hold-open



Sept 10, 1957 LA VERNE B. RAGSDALE 2,805,442

V v LID HINGE AND HOLD-OPEN v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31. 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 5615i 1957 LA VERNE BVJRAGSDALE 2,805,442

LID HINGE AND HOLD-OPEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fazmzzbm Filed Aug. 31, 1953 United States Patefif O 2,805,442 LID HINGE AND HOLD-OPEN La Verne B. Ragsdale, Dearborn, Micl1.,. assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,318 4 Claims. c1. 16-190) This invention relates to a lid hinge and hold-open, and more particularly to a hinge and adjustable hold-open for the deck lid of an automobile.

Hingedly mounted deck lids are provided with counterbalance spring means which facilitate initial opening movement of the deck lid and which increase in effectiveness as the deck lid approaches open position and hold the deck lid in its fully open position. Because of variations in spring strength and in the size and weight of difierent deck lids it is difficult to obtain a uniform counterbalance effect in assembly lineproduction. This invention provides a simple and efiective adjustment means whereby the counterbalance force exerted by the spring may be varied to obtain proper operation despite variations in spring strength, size and weight of deck lids, and the like. According to the invention, the location of the connection of thecoun'terbalance spring to the hinge strap may be moved toward or away from the pivotal axis of the hinge strap so that desired counterbalance action may be obtained after the automobile is fully assembled. f

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of an automobile embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through one of the deck lid hinges, the deck lid, hinge and counterbalance means being shown in open position in solid lines and in closed position in broken lines;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2, the counterbalance spring being removed;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged section corresponding to a portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the adjusting link; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the adjusting means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an automobile designated generally as 10 in Fig. 1 has a body 11 with a deck compartment 12 and a deck lid 13 therefor. The deck lid is hingedly mounted on the body, being carried on spaced goose-neck hinge straps 15, each of which is pivotally mounted in a channel-shaped elongated hinge box 16.

Since the hinge straps 15 are secured to the deck lid 13 closely adjacent the forward edge thereof, the leverage of the deck lid is high, and counterbalance springs are provided to offset the weight of the deck lid. Preferably, these springs are arranged to exert enough counterbalance force almost to overcome the weight of the deck lid when the deck lid is nearly closed, and to increase in eflectiveness and more than overcome the weight of the deck lid as the' deck lid approaches open position, so that the springs will hold the deck lid open as shown in Fig. 1. This varying counterbalance action is obtained by mountingthe'springs so'that the moment arm of the springs change as the deck lid moves toward open position.

Each hinge and counterbalance means is similar and only one will be described. As shown best inFigs. 2, 4 and 5, strap 15 is pivoted upon a pin 18 which extends between the opposite walls of the elongated hinge box 16 immediately below the body panel 11 and closely adjacent the forward edge of the deck compartment opening 12, and the goose-neck form of strap 15 enables the deck lid 13 to move upwardlyand forwardly when opened to provide free access to the compartment 12. A rubber bumper 19 limits opening movement of the deck lid.

Each hinge is provided with counterbalance spring means comprising extensible and retractable aligned spring supporting links 20 and 21, each provided with a slot 20a and 21:: respectively. A pin 22 is secured to the end of link 21 and projects through the slot 20a, and a similar pin 23 is secured to the end of the link 20 and projects through the slot 21a so that the links, while held in alignment, may be extended or retracted as the deck lid is opened or closed. The forward end of link 26 is pivoted on a pin 24 mounted between the hinge box walls, and the links support a compression spring 25, the

forward end of the spring seating against a collar 26 and the rear end of the spring seating against a shoulder formed by an enlarged head portion 27 at the end of link 21.

The structure described above is old. In the past the rear end of the counterbalance spring has been secured directly to a support bracket rigid withthe hinge strap,

and there has been no means of adjustment to compensate for variations in spring strength, size and weight of different deck lids, and the like. Instead of securing the rear end of the counterbalance spring means directly to V the hinge strap 15 as has been done in the past, an adjustment means is provided so that theeffective counter balance force exerted by the spring may be varied as desired. A support bracket 30 is riveted to the underside of strap 15 and depends downwardly from said strap within the box 16. Support 30 is formed with an elongated vertical guide slot 31, and at its lower end the support is provided with a right angle flange 32 having a slot 33 therein.

A link 35 (Fig. 6) is slidably mounted on the support member 30 by means of spaced pins 36 and 37 which extend through the guide slot 31. Link 35 has a depending connector portion 38 which is articulated to the head 27 of spring supporting link 21, a rivet 40 providing this connection.

In order to adjust the relative position of the link 35 on the support 30 a flange 42, which is complementary to the flange 32, is formed on link 35, and an opening 44 in this flange registers with the slot 33 in the flange 32. The link 35 and the support member 38 are connected by means of a shoulder bolt 45 having a reduced neck portion 46 (Fig. 7) which flts into slot 33 in flange 32, and having a threaded body portion which engages a nut 47 mounted in the opening 44.

In the drawings, the adjustment means is so positioned that a maximum of counterbalance force is exerted by the spring 25. If less counterbalance force is desired, the bolt 45 is turned to move the pins 36 and 37 up in the slot 31 closer to the pivot pin 18 which mounts the hinge strap 15. This variation in the point of location of the connection between the spring means and hinge strap decreases the leverage factor of the force exerted on strap 15 by spring 25, and consequently lowers the counterbalance effect of the spring. It should be noted that this spring adjusting means has no effect on the amount of pivotal movement of the hinge strap 15 between open and closed positions so that the operation of the deck Patented 'Sept.'10,' 7

lid is exactly the same throughout the entire range of adjustment of the apparatus except, of course, forthe variation in counterbalance force.

While I have shown anddescribed one embodiment of my invention, it is capable of many mod ification's. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an automobile having a body with a deck compartment and a deck lid therefor, a hinge and counterbalance for the deck lid, including: a hinge box mounted on the body within the compartmentj a goose neck hinge strap having oneend pivotally mounted on said box and the other end connected to the lid; a support member depending from said strap intermediate the ends thereof, said support being formed with an elongated guide slot extending at an angle from the strap; counterbalance compression spring means within said box; means pivotally connecting one end of said spring means to said box; a link connected to the other end of said spring means, said link being slidably mounted on said support by means of spaced pins extending through said guide slot; and adjustment means for varying the position of said link on the support to adjust the counterbalance force exerted by said spring means.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said support member and said link are provided with complementary flanges having registering openings; and wherein said adjustment means comprises a bolt threaded into one member and having a shoulder engaging the other member.

3. In an automobile having a body with a deck compartment and a deck lid therefor, a hinge and counterbalance for the deck lid, including: a hinge box mounted on the body within the compartment; a hinge strap having one end pivotally mounted on the hinge box and the other end connected to the deck lid; support means depending from the strap intermediate the ends thereof, said support means being formed with an elongated guide slot extending at an angle from the strap; a counterbalance spring within said hinge box; means pivotally connecting one end of said spring to said hinge box; a link connected .to the other endof said spring, said link being slidably mounted on said support means by spaced pins extending through said guide slot, and said link and support means having registering flange portions extending at a right angle from the plane in which said link and support means lie; and adjustment means extending through said flange portions for varying the position of the link on the support means to adjust the counterbalance force exerted by the spring.

4. In an automobile having a body with a deck compartment and a deck lid therefor, a hinge and counterbalance for the deck lid, including: a hinge box mounted on the body compartment; a hinge strap having one end pivotally mounted on said hinge box and the other end connected to the lid and having depending support means intermediate the ends thereof, said support means being formed with an elongated guide slot extending at an angle from the strap and said support means having an outwardly turned .flange adjacent one end of the slot; a counterbalance spring in said hinge box; means pivotally connecting one'end of said spring to said hinge box; a link connected to the other end of said spring, said link being slidably mounted on said support means by spaced pins extending through said guide slot and said link having an outwardly turned flange registering With the flange on the support means; and adjustment means comprising a bolt extending through said registering flanges for varying the position of the link on the support means to adjust the counterbalance force exerted by said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,090,697 Eddelrnan Mar. 17, 1914 2,162,381 Guth, June 13, 1939 2,259,819 Holmes Oct. 21, 1941 2,516,196 Fowler July 25, 1950 2,617,144 I Stearns et al. Nov. 11, 1952 2,626,421 Lyons Jan. 27, 1953 2,641,795 James et al. June 16, 1953 

